BC Housing has once again pushed back the opening date of Castlegar’s new shelter.
The province, through BC Housing, purchased 2245 6th Ave. in June 2024 with the intention of turning the former mini-storage facility into a 20-bed shelter for people experiencing homelessness. The new shelter will be open year-round and will replace the current 10-bed Out of the Cold Emergency Winter Shelter.
At the time of the purchase announcement, BC Housing said it planned to provide $1.6 million for the renovations and open in fall 2025.
By spring, the opening had been changed to December 2025.
In October, BC Housing housing said that during the interior demolition phase an “increased scope of work” was identified. The opening of the shelter was pushed back to spring 2026.
Now, BC Housing says work at the site is not expected to be complete until late 2026.
The City of Castlegar has granted the necessary construction permits as well as a Temporary Use Permit that allows the shelter to operate.
Castlegar Community Services was awarded the contract to operate the new shelter.
BC Housing says renovation work includes standard requirements for living spaces, such as washrooms, showers and laundry facilities, a commercial kitchen, dining and lounge area, partitions to create 20 sleeping pods and roof upgrades.
